Surgical tubes and drains are often used in treating patients as part of post-operative care. Improper treatment of post-surgical areas may result in the accumulation of air or fluid, which could lead to infection of the wounded area. To prevent the undesirable accumulation of fluid, post-operative drains are typically used to remove these fluids from the surgical area. Proper use of post-operative drain usually reduces the risk of infection and tends to minimize tissue trauma. Multiple variables have an impact on the effectiveness of these drains including: the consistency of the draining fluid, the tube diameter and length, and the amount of negative pressure from the drain. Post-operative drains can be used in various types of surgeries, including abdominal, breast, and orthopedic procedures.
One common type of post-operative drain is an active drain. Active drains use a closed drainage system with low-pressure suction devices that continuously remove fluids against gravity. The active drain is attached to a collapsible reservoir that exerts negative pressure to pull accumulated fluids from the wound bed. The collection reservoir expands as it collects drainage. One example of an active post-operative drain is shown in FIG. 1 (Prior Art). A reservoir 2 is attached to a drain 3. In this example, the reservoir 2 has a bulb shape with a capacity of approximately 100.0 cubic centimeters and the drain 3 has dimensions of approximately 7.0 mm in radius and 20.0 cm in length. In another example, the shape and capacity of the reservoir 2 and drain 3 dimensions may vary based on the need. One commercially available version of the post-operative drain as shown in FIG. 1 is a Jackson-Pratt Drain (also referred to as a “JP Drain”). The drain 3 may also be referred to as a “tube” and the reservoir 2 may also be referred to as a “bulb”.
One known technique is to provide one or two compartments along a garment that attaches to or is worn by a patient. The compartments may be on the outside or inside of the garment. The patient wears or attaches the garment and then inserts the post-operative drain inside the compartment. However, numerous shortcomings exist with these conventional garments. For example, many of these garments do not provide sufficient support, versatility, or ease of use that is desirable for patients that have undergone challenging medical procedures. A solution that overcomes these shortcomings is desired.